How to check a water meter at home without removing it

Will it be cancelled?

Responsibility for the timely verification of meters by law rests with the citizens themselves. Therefore, residents should control the timing of its inspection.

However, according to the management of Rosstandart, the population should not deal with the issues of the correct operation of meters, this responsibility should be charged to management companies.

This is due to the fact that the costs for the verification are now borne by the citizens themselves. This is often used by commercial firms that do not have a license for such activities.The quality of their verification is not at the proper level, and they require a lot of money for their services.

If the inspection of meters is transferred to management companies, this will largely streamline the process of their verification, since it will be possible to use devices with the same characteristics, and their verification will be carried out by reliable specialists with accreditation.

In addition, there will be no problem with non-compliance with the deadlines for the implementation of these works, and therefore with the accuracy of payments made for the consumed water. The situation with the abolition of the verification of water meters by the citizens themselves is still at the draft stage.

Interesting! In some regions, a new organizational verification scheme has already been introduced as an experiment.

Read more on the issue here.

Meter tests: what are the principles?

Checking the accuracy of measuring the meter readings is carried out according to the following principle:

• external inspection - the device is checked for integrity and absence of external damage. Check its compliance with the product passport, establish whether the readings are well readable;
• testing - the degree of tightness is revealed. Within a few minutes, the device is in direct contact with the aquatic environment;
• determination of the level of error - a special apparatus measures the percentage of inaccuracy. If the error is less than 5%, this is considered the norm. If more, calibration or replacement of the meter with a new device is necessary.

Action algorithm

When checking a water meter at home, you will need to call a specialist to your home. First, an application is submitted to the metrological service. For reinsurance, the procedure is performed in advance, because there may be a queue for the service. Based on such an application, a specialist with his equipment leaves the house and performs verification.Its essence consists in pumping water through a water meter and weighing it using high-precision scales.

Checking meters at home does not take much time

Stages of sequential verification:

1. First, an application is submitted to the metrological center to call a specialist;
2. The date and time of the arrival of a professional at home is assigned;
3. Before verification, an agreement on the provision of a paid service is concluded between the consumer and the center;
4. Then the payment for the service is carried out;
5. Verification takes place according to the contract, while the integrity of the meter is violated and the seal is removed;
6. When the verification is completed, the client receives a conclusion, which will need to be taken to the service company.

With the timely provision of a document on checking the meter, the tenant will not be fined. The verification algorithm is simple. The work is done fairly quickly.

First, special equipment is connected to the mixer. To do this, use a shower hose, but without a watering can. The output of the device is sent to a separate container. It is already installed on accurate scales.

Before checking, it is required to block any other sources of water intake. Then the parameters of the device are recorded. Next, several liters of liquid are poured into the container. Water is weighed and converted to liters.

The resulting volume must be compared with the initial meter readings. It is necessary to perform the procedure several times. As a result, all the results are compared and the average is calculated. With a normal error, the specialist confirms the health of the meter. But if the error is large, then the device will need to be replaced.

Checking the water meter at home without removing

An alternative option makes it possible to avoid the difficulties of dismantling the IPU.You need to call the master, who must have a special calibration device with a certificate of conformity.

Methodology:

1. By the time the initial use of the ISP expires, you must submit an application to the organization that provides the relevant services. When contacting, all information about the counter, including its location, is indicated.
2. The arriving specialist should check the supporting documents, after which you can get to work.
3. The master will make several measurements of the amount of water that passes through the meter. Based on the data obtained, the error is calculated.
4. If there are no problems, then a test certificate is issued, which indicates that the mechanism is suitable for further use. If malfunctions are detected, the device cannot be used to account for water consumption, it must be replaced.

When choosing an organization that provides services for home-based verification of water meters, you need to make sure that the company has a valid license to perform such work, otherwise the documents issued by it will not be valid

All received documents must be checked on the spot to make sure that seals and stamps are present. Be sure to obtain confirmation that the tests were carried out by a licensed organization: this can be a service contract.

Water metering devices and the rules for their verification

In the Russian Federation, as well as in some other countries, certain norms for the use of water per person have been established. Based on these standards, payment is charged for the use of hot and cold water supply if the housing is not equipped with metering devices.As a rule, the average person spends much less water than is prescribed in these standards. Moreover, during some period not a drop of water may be spilled in the apartment (you never know, the owners went on vacation, for example). But the bill will still accurately come for full consumption, based on the number of registered residents in this area.

Cold water meter.

Therefore, to register the true costs, which is much more profitable for the consumer, special metering devices are installed. Even before they go on sale, the meters undergo the necessary tests and checks in the factory. And in their passports the period for the next verification of the device is affixed.

This is due to the fact that the manufacturer guarantees the accuracy of the instrument readings only for the specified period of operation, which usually varies from four to six years.

According to this document, the homeowner is obliged to verify the meter within the time specified in the documentation. However, the regional management also has the right to set the timing of audit activities by adopting the relevant by-law. In such cases, users must adhere to the decision of their local authorities. To find out the exact information about specific terms, you should carefully study the contract concluded with the organization that provides and controls the water supply to residential buildings.

Three main questions about counters

Regional deviations from Federal regulations on the timing of verification are related to the composition and quality of water in a particular area and must be indicated in the contract with the homeowner.

The by-laws most often indicate the service life of meters for cold water - 6 years, and for hot water - 4 years. Unless otherwise specified in the contract, verifications are carried out in accordance with the documentation attached to the water meter.

For example, for metering devices manufactured by Russian companies, such as Pulsar, Puls, Meter, Itelma and SVU, traditional verification periods of 4 and 6 years are indicated. But the manufacturers "Triton", "Minol" and "Betar" have also set a period of operation for hot water supply meters until the next verification - 6 years.

A device for measuring the consumption of cold water from Maddalena.

There are also more impressive indicators. So, for example, water meters of the Italian company "Maddalena" are designed for verification once every 10-15 years.

The frequency of the procedure

After installing the water meter, its owner is obliged to ensure the necessary maintenance of the device. For this, it is required to contact service organizations in a timely manner in case of breakdown, violations of indicators, malfunctions of the water meter. In addition, periodically it is necessary to verify the meter:

• Every 4 years - for hot water supply;
• Every 6 years - for cold water supply.

Under no circumstances should seals be removed from the counter.

The first verification is carried out at the factory during the production of the device. It is this date that becomes the starting point until the next verification. Also, this information can be obtained from the technical passport or a copy of the commissioning certificate.The management company must have a copy of the specified act, so that in case of loss of the document, you can use their help

It is important to keep this documentation

In this case, the date in the passport becomes unnecessary. You will need information that is specified in the contract with the service company. The date of mandatory diagnosis is marked there.

If the deadline for the required verification is missed, the calculation of water will be carried out according to the standards for a particular region. If you want to use the IPU again, you will need to install a new counter. This is due to the fact that if the verification period is violated, the device is considered inaccurate.

A set of rules for conducting competent verification

Today, you can find many ways to calibrate individual devices for accounting for water consumption. There are also various verification methods. Among them are:

1. Inspection; 2. Periodic (annual); 3. Primary; 4. No queue definition.

Each of the types of verification has its own goals and certain features. For example, initial verification must be carried out before the device is released for sale. Also, initial verification can be carried out during repair. The user of the water metering device can learn about the verification only from the accompanying documents, which should be included with the device.

When may early verification be required?

The need for an unscheduled confirmation of the operability of a water meter may arise for various reasons:

1. Damage to the control seals (factory or installed during commissioning).
2. The appearance of a defect that leads to incorrect measurement of readings. This can be revealed with a significant increase in resource consumption.
3. Violation of the integrity of the counter. Mechanical impact on the body may cause external damage. To exclude their impact on performance, you need to recheck.
4. Loss of technical documentation or an act of previous reconciliation. As a result of a change in the owner of the premises, a management company, a resource supplying organization or other reasons, supporting documents may be damaged or lost. To check the correctness of the readings, you will need to get confirmation.
5. Independent decision of the owner of the house or apartment. Based on the results of a scheduled inspection, a management company specialist may indicate that the metering device is operating in violation of the permissible error. In order to confirm the serviceability, it is allowed to contact a certified laboratory. In some situations, it is advisable to replace the water meter in an apartment or private house with a new one, since the survey may confirm the inoperability of the device.

The most common reasons for an extraordinary verification of a water meter are considered to be a violation of the integrity of the seal and defects in the device case.

Timing

The verification procedure must be carried out within a clearly defined time frame.

But there is a certain snag here, since the terms for checking hot and cold water meters can be different, and are set both at the federal and regional levels. There are two main requirements at the federal level: verification of cold water meters should be performed every 6 years, hot - once every 4 years.

The difference is explained by the fact that meters for cold and hot water operate at different temperatures and, although they are generally similar in design, the materials used are different.In addition, a meter working with cold water is less exposed to destructive effects, while a meter measuring hot water is constantly affected by high temperature, which causes an increased degree of wear.

Of course, checking on different dates may not be very convenient, so sometimes consumers decide to check the cold water meter ahead of time, simultaneously with the hot water meter.

And here we come to an important nuance: the prescriptions of the legislation on the terms are not used as a hard rule, but only as a recommendation, which it is desirable to focus on IPU manufacturers

The fact is that Government Decree No. 354 indicates that the verification period can be set by the manufacturer, and for some devices this period is longer, sometimes it can reach up to 8 years, or even up to 15 years. If your device has a longer calibration interval, then at the local level a decision is made to focus on it

But it is still important to keep track of when the deadline will end so as not to miss time.

The terms established by the manufacturer are indicated in the passport of the device, sometimes in other documents - the indication of the terms in the documents attached to the meter is mandatory. Still, periods that are very different from the recommended ones are quite rare, and are primarily characteristic of imported devices. Not all of them are approved for use and included in the register of the State Standard - take this carefully so that you do not have to change the meter to an approved model.

Let's highlight one more significant nuance: although it is sometimes believed that the period for verification should be counted from the date on which the meter was installed and sealed, however, in reality it is counted from the date of manufacture of the device. The fact is that after manufacturing, verification is immediately carried out, and in fact the countdown is carried out precisely from it.

Therefore, when purchasing a stale device, it should be borne in mind that its verification should take place much earlier than the period specified in its passport. The exact date by which it will need to be carried out is easy to calculate: the instrument passport contains the date of the previous verification, and you just need to add the verification interval specified in it or other attached documents to it. This will help you not to overstay and complete everything on time.

Recommendations for self-checks

Self-checks are carried out, rather, to simply reassure themselves. And make sure that this or that device works properly. In this case, it is simply impossible to obtain objective data. There is only one way to solve this problem. During its implementation, first, readings are taken, then three buckets with a volume of ten liters are filled with water.

The final step is to re-check the readings. But this solution is not very accurate. Below is a description of a variant that outperforms others in terms of reliability. To do this, the user needs to take:

1. Any container with a volume of 10 liters or more.
2. Calculator.
3. Electronic balance.

First you need to weigh the empty container, record the result separately. At the same time, the readings of the water meter to the current moment are recorded. After that, the container is filled with water. And you need to weigh it after filling.Finally, instrument readings are taken separately.

It is known that the weight of a cubic meter of water is equal to one ton. It is necessary to remember this when, in the future, the entire volume of water in the tank is compared with what the water meter showed. Results are measured in liters. After that, the cubic meter is divided into a thousand.

In this case, the accuracy usually depends on how the scales work in a particular case. There is an average error, which is in the range of 1-2.5 percent. But the results after independent checks cannot be recognized as legal.

Tips for choosing counters

Savings issues are becoming relevant for each of the inhabitants of the country. The installation of high-quality devices for accounting for the liquid used will just allow you to reduce costs to a minimum. But there are really a lot of models now. And the choice is not so easy to make.

About the types of devices

Some models take into account only cold water, while others only take into account hot water. There are also so-called universal varieties. These devices can be divided into several groups according to the main principles of work:

1. Electronic.
2. Mechanical.

Electronic or mechanical varieties are the best solution for use in domestic conditions.

Mechanics and electronics: how do they differ from each other

Mechanical varieties have an error in the readings, but very low. Electronic ones are highly accurate, regardless of the pressure level currently maintained in the system. The advantages of mechanical models are described as follows:

• Long service life.
• Low price.
• Simplicity and reliability of a design.

It’s worth paying attention when checking counters, this video will tell:

There are only two shortcomings.This is sensitivity to magnetic fields, as well as the effect of the composition of water on work. Electronic models also have advantages. Among which:

1. Long service life.
2. Lack of sensitivity to electromagnetic fields.
3. The interval between checks, which reaches ten years.

But electronic devices are much more expensive than mechanical ones. In addition, they require additional power supply.

Right choice

Here are the main features that buyers should pay the most attention to:

• Instrument sensitivity threshold.
• Maximum water consumption.
• Conditional passage parameters, by diameter.
• Temperature level for water requiring measurements.
• The pressure level at which the device operates.

Only when contacting professionals, one can be sure that a licensed device will be purchased that can cope with its functions in any conditions.

Why do IPUs for water have a limited service life?

Statistics show that standard winged water pumps, which are most often installed in apartments, fail precisely after the specified calibration intervals have elapsed.

Moreover, the hot water meter loses its technical characteristics faster precisely because of exposure to high temperatures.

Not all metering devices break, but at least half. The second half fails after 6-7 years of operation.

Here the logical question arises to replace the device with a new one or check the old one.

World practice shows that it is more expedient to replace the counter. In addition, installing a new meter is sometimes cheaper than checking and repairing an old one.

The main causes of damage to the design of PU water are:

• non-compliance of water with established standards: the presence of impurities, solid particles in it, which mechanically deform the "stuffing" of the meter;
• the water supply system in old, worn-out buildings leads to the fact that the filter is clogged, which is rarely cleaned annually;
• summer shutdowns of hot water supply cause parts of the meter to dry out and require replacement;
• all sorts of consumer manipulations to reduce readings, for example, installing magnets, “spoil” the meters very much.

The subscriber will not be able to determine independently whether the metering device is working normally. It is for this that the need to calibrate water meters after a certain time is established.

It is carried out by a certified specialist who will issue a conclusion on the compliance of the PU with the standards.

How to check water meters

Both options are carried out at the initiative of the homeowner. Each method has merits and demerits. Checking water meters in the laboratory is considered a more accurate method that allows you to identify faulty parts. But dismantling of metering devices is required, and the diagnostic result is not issued immediately. The in-home alternative is cheaper and takes less time, but does not provide the ability to detect broken ISP mechanisms.

With device removed

1. Two applications are submitted to the Criminal Code: to call an inspector to take readings, to dismantle a water meter.
2. At the agreed time, a specialist will come, draw up an act, record all the data. The document is executed in two copies (one is given to the tenant).
3. The master will remove the seal, dismantle the meter, put a temporary substitute.
4. The consumer hands over the device to an accredited organization for testing, pays for the procedure.
5. After a certain time, the IPU and a certificate of test results are taken. In the absence of shortcomings, the water meter is allowed for further work.
6. The owner calls the master from the management company to return the device to its place and put it into operation.

without withdrawal

1. Before the end of the initial period of use of the meter, the homeowner submits a written application to the verification company, indicating all the information about the device and the address of the installation.
2. The coming specialist must present documents confirming the permission to conduct tests.
3. The master makes 5-6 measurements of the amount of water flowing through the meter and calculates the error.
4. If all the data correspond to the norm, the device is allowed to be used.
5. A faulty IPU is immediately replaced with a new one.

In quarantine, you can not check devices

Regulations that determine the need for verification of water, electricity, gas, heat meters:

1. Housing Code of the Russian Federation, namely, art. 157, which states that the owners of residential premises must install metering devices.
2. Federal Law No. 102-FZ dated June 26, 2008. It establishes the unity of all measuring instruments, the protection of the rights and interests of citizens from inaccurate measurements.
3. Rules for the provision of utilities to owners ..., approved. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 6, 2011 No. 354 (Rules 354). They describe in detail the procedure for charging fees for the consumed resource, the obligation of the consumer to independently install the metering device, monitor it and carry out its verification.

However, Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated April 2, 2020 No. 424 amended a number of regulations relating to the provision of utilities and the calculation of fees for their consumption.

It is important to know that innovations do not establish the complete abolition of previously existing norms, but only temporarily suspend their operation. The main innovations that affected Russian citizens:

The main innovations that affected Russian citizens:

1. The verification of all measuring devices until the beginning of 2021 has been canceled, even those who knew in advance the expiration of the calibration interval.
2. The operation of the norm regulating the special procedure for charging fees under the law on a meter whose verification period has expired has been suspended.
3. All penalties in 2020, which were supposed to accrue for late payment for consumed communal resources, as well as garbage disposal services, have been canceled. That is, if the consumer did not pay the receipt on time, fines and penalties will not be charged.

The need to adopt these innovations was due to only one goal: to reduce the spread of coronavirus infection. Public service workers, along with consumers, could become carriers and spreaders of this infection. Therefore, the authorities adopted these relaxing regulations.

Checking the water meter: how much does it cost

Although the procedure for verifying a water meter will cost the user a certain amount, this amount is several times less than the payment for water consumption according to the standards.

The cost of checking one meter will cost about 1000 rubles. If during the verification problems were found that required the replacement of the water meter, then the amount will increase to 1600 rubles.

You can independently check the counter by contacting a specialized organization that is accredited for this (for example, Rostest). To do this, remove the water meter and take it to the regulatory authority. Such verification will cost the water consumer only 500 rubles.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The procedure for checking the device without removing it takes less than an hour and is mandatory for all IPU owners:

How is the verification of water meters when the master is called to the house:

Calibration of meters without removal saves money and time for the owner of the devices. After all, while the meter is in the laboratory of metrology and standardization with a removable method of verification, payment is calculated according to the average value, and not in fact.

Tell us about how the flow meter was checked at your home without removing the device from the water supply. It is possible that you have information that will be useful to site visitors. Please write comments in the block below, ask questions, publish photos on the topic of the article.